ABDULLAH AL MEHDI

Amite Hasan had already acquired the trait of perseverance, evidenced by the bulk of runs he has scored across various domestic tournaments, and in the ongoing National Cricket League (NCL), the Sylhet Division batter is putting in a conscious effort to balance his game by adding an attacking dimension.

Yesterday, his side defeated Rajshahi Division by 10 wickets in Sylhet on the fourth day, and the highlight of the match was his brilliant 213 off 251 balls knock in the first innings.

Amite batted for six hours across the second and third day to reach his second first-class double hundred off 221 deliveries, and for the second time in his red-ball career he got out on 213.

The sparkling innings contained 28 fours and a six, still, the 24-year-old felt he had left a few runs on the pitch.

“When I got out, I felt like I could have score 40-50 runs more,” he replied with a smile when asked about how he felt after getting dismissed.

Amite hit fluent drives and backfoot punches on a true wicket at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, showcasing a mix of attack and defence and the adoption of a new modus operandi.

He is a proven performer in domestic red-ball cricket. His numbers attests to his credibility, having finished NCL 2024 and BCL 2024 as the highest and second highest run-getter respectively.

But while in the past he scored his runs at a snail’s pace, in the ongoing NCL his strike rate is nearing 80, considerably higher from his career first-class strike rate of 50.26 -- signaling a deliberate change in mindset.

“I don’t play like this all the time,” Amite divulged on his run-scoring process in the ongoing NCL. “In this match, in fact, throughout this tournament, I have been playing this way.

“I spoke to Rajin Saleh sir [Sylhet coach] and he asked me not to defend too much or attack too much. He wanted me to play very natural cricket and play according to the merit of the ball. I felt this approach is very helpful since it’s creating pressure on the bowlers,” he added.

In the Rajshahi match, Amite had to contend with the country’s fastest quick, Nahid Rana, who bowled 23.4 overs in the innings in challenging winter conditions.

“He [Rana] naturally bowls very quick and he has a very good bouncer. My plan was that when he was going for bouncers, I won’t take up the challenge and leave the deliveries alone. The plan was that if he bowled anything wayward, I will take him on.”

Amite is yet to break into the national side and was left unsold in the recent players’ auction of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). However, the wicketkeeper-batter claimed to be unbothered by it all.

“Every player dreams of playing for the national team and I am no different. Since I am playing in the NCL, that’s where I’m mainly focusing right now. There is no regret [about BPL], it’s my fate. It’s a call from the team owners and it’s very much their decision,” he said.